


The Prince's Heart

by the_lunar_thief



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Brother-Sister Relationships, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Platonic Relationships, Romance, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:27:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26948203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_lunar_thief/pseuds/the_lunar_thief
Summary: The time has come for Prince Nico to search for a bride, and King Hades is pressuring him to choose a princess or a lady to court - but the arrival of a new servant in the kingdom has Nico feeling conflicted.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo & Hazel Levesque, Nico di Angelo & Will Solace, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

Prince Nico had spent almost the entire evening hiding in the kitchen with his sister. The royal family of the neighbouring Lunar Kingdom had come to visit almost a week ago and in the time since then Nico had been forced to sit through countless formal dinners and dance with far too many princesses and ladies at insufferably dull balls. It was a well-known fact that the Lunar Court had more eligible ladies than any other - but it was also frequently rumoured that near none of them were actually interested in finding a partner.

At any rate, he was sick of meeting ladies who he had no interest in. Currently, he was tucked away in a small corner of one of the walk-in pantries, hidden behind a huge basket of pears and flanked on either side by metal shelves housing crates of bread loaves and flour bags. Hidden from his view, he knew that Hazel was sitting across from him in the other corner of the pantry.

‘How long do you suppose Father is going to keep forcing you to meet with princesses and ladies from other kingdoms?’ she asked quietly. ‘This is the third kingdom to visit, and you haven't shown the slightest interest in anyone.’

‘He won't give up, Hazel. He wants to see me married,’ Nico sighed.

She was quiet for a moment. ‘Honestly, I expected as much. In which case, why are you avoiding everyone? If a marriage alliance is unavoidable, shouldn't you be searching for a lady you could fall in love with?’

Nico swallowed thickly. ‘I've told you before, I've no interest in marrying. Maybe ever.’

‘Why not?’

A buried memory tried to flicker through his thoughts, but he dismissed it before it could form. It was too painful. He opened his mouth to provide the same excuse he'd always given her, and anyone else who’d ever asked; that he simply preferred being alone. Before he could tell his usual lies, however, the door to the pantry swung open, crashing into the wall as King Hades stormed in.

‘NICO!’ his voice reverberated in the small room, so loud that Nico could've sworn he heard the shelves rattle. With a small sigh, he stood and moved to the centre of the pantry, gazing up at his father. He was an intimidating man, tall and broad, with a glare so fierce it seemed to darken the entire room. But Nico wasn't afraid of him.

‘Yes?’ He raised an eyebrow, serving only to make his father's glare sharpen and his jaw clench. Without a reply, the king grabbed Nico by the wrist, and dragged him through the kitchen, up a spiralling staircase, down several halls and into the dining room where the members of the Lunar Court were waiting. Letting go of his wrist before the nobles could notice, Hades took his seat at the head of the table. Nico reluctantly eyed the remaining open seats, taking a moment to wish that Hazel was there as well.

Finally, he took a seat beside the only noble whose presence he'd been able to stand so far – a young woman named Thalia. While the other ladies had all spent their time either avoiding or insulting Nico, she, at least, had been decent. He'd heard rumours that she was born a princess of the Sky Kingdom - heir to the throne, in fact - but had relinquished her title to join the Lunar Court. He had no idea if such a scandal was true, but it would explain why she was somewhat different to the rest of the Lunar Court.

Looking around the table, he found that the appetisers hadn't been served yet, which was fortunate, as it meant he wasn't late and therefore didn't have to provide an excuse for being so. Although it also meant that he was going to be trapped with all these nobles for a very long time.

At the opposite end of the table to King Hades, Queen Artemis delicately cleared her throat. She was a young queen – having risen to power when she was just thirteen, following the deaths of her parents – and had grown very attractive in the years following her ascension; though they said any man would have to have a death wish to tell her so.

‘King Hades, I have heard certain rumours...’ Queen Artemis started, swirling her wine, ‘rumours that the Solar Kingdom is set to come here for a diplomatic visit within the week.’ She raised her eyebrows.

‘Yes,’ Hades took a sip from his own wine glass, ‘I had hoped this wouldn't be a deterrent for you?’

Artemis pressed her lips. ‘I have no interest in seeing my arrogant brother.’

‘Really?’ Hades raised his eyebrows innocently, ‘but we're all allies, are we not?’ She narrowed her eyes, and Nico glanced back and forth between them. It was true that a shaky alliance had been held between the three kingdoms for years, but it had always been precarious at best. Nico supposed that was why the two kingdoms were included in Hades' string of visitors.

For years, there had been fear of a war breaking out between the Sky and Underworld Kingdoms, so if there was ever a time for strengthening alliances, or making new ones, it was now. But that didn't mean Nico was okay with his hand being sold off to some random girl, especially when he'd known for many years that he had no interest in women. Not that he could tell anyone the truth. He could never be with a man; a lesson he'd learned the hard way when he was fourteen.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he refocused on the nobles as a small group of servants came through with their appetisers.

‘Of course we’re allies,’ Artemis was smiling, though it didn’t fully meet her eyes. She and the king stared each other down for a long moment, until, with an intake of breath, she continued, ‘nevertheless, I don't intend to be here while he is. My court and I shall ride out at dawn.’

Nico struggled to withhold a sigh. As much as he'd hated the company of the Lunar ladies, at least they'd given him his space. He'd wanted nothing to do with them and they'd wanted nothing to do with him. When the last two kingdoms; those of King Hermes and Queen Aphrodite – jeez, _especially_ Aphrodite – had visited, it had been different. Back then, there had been some women who were genuinely interested in marrying him, and some would scarcely leave him alone. Plus, he suspected that the ladies of Hermes' court had been stealing from him, but he couldn't say for sure.

King Hades had been careful to ensure that the end of each visitor's stay overlapped with the start of the next one's – Nico suspected that this was intended to make them feel threatened, so they'd push for Nico's attention. At least this time he'd only have to deal with one kingdom at a time.

When the dinner was finally over, and the women had adjourned for the night, Hades turned to his son expectantly. Nico pressed his lips.

‘Do you intend to court any of them?’ Hades asked, the stern tone in his voice indicating the only answer he wanted to hear. Nico shook his head, avoiding his father's eyes. Hades sighed.

‘Nico, whether you like it or not, you _are_ going to marry someone,’ he said, anger creeping into his voice, ‘and if you're not going to choose for yourself, so help me, I _will_ do it for you.’ Nico's head snapped up, and he gaped at his father. Surely he didn't mean...?

‘Yes,’ Hades said, ‘if current tensions dissolve into war, our kingdom needs to be as strong as possible. We will be securing an alliance through your hand, and if I have to force you into an arranged marriage to do it, then so be it.’ With that, he strode from the room, leaving Nico to stare down at his empty plate and fight tears.


	2. Chapter 2

Three days after the formal dinner with the Lunar Court, and their subsequent departure, came the arrival of the Solar Court. Nico had been dreading this one more than any of the others. At least with the courts of King Hermes, Queen Aphrodite, and Queen Artemis, there had been no princesses – only ladies of the court. Unfortunately, not only was there a Solar Princess – Princess Kayla – but said princess was also heir to the throne. Such a union would forge a very powerful alliance between their kingdoms.

As if the situation wasn't already bad enough, it seemed that Hades _really_ wanted to fast-track the process of his choosing a partner, so not only had Apollo's kingdom been invited to visit, but Athena's kingdom had as well. Like Aphrodite's kingdom, Athena's was one that was almost entirely lost to them when it came to alliances. Lady Piper and Lady Annabeth were important members of each court, and each had married into one of Hades' enemy kingdoms. Nico knew that if Hades got the opportunity to secure a stronger alliance with Athena's kingdom than the Sea Kingdom currently held, he would take it without hesitation.

Nico was already exhausted from having greeted and entertained Queen Athena and her court all morning; the last thing he wanted to do with his afternoon was welcome King Apollo and his court, but as always, he had no choice.

‘Fashionably late, as usual,’ Nico heard his father mutter as King Apollo sauntered into the castle foyer. His court flanked him on either side, with his servants trailing after them. King Hades waited on the dais at the end of the hall, with Queen Persephone beside him, and Nico and Hazel flanking them.

As the Solar Court approached the dais, the servants that they'd brought with them filed out through the side doors, heading for the servant's quarters to get settled in. For a second, Nico could've sworn he saw a flash of sunshine yellow and his heart jolted, but he quickly shook himself back to reality.

King Apollo and King Hades both stepped forward, clasping each other's wrists in greeting. Withdrawing his arm, Apollo gestured to his left, and a young woman walked forward.

‘May I present to the Underworld Court for the first time, daughter of Queen Dara and myself, heir to the Solar throne, Princess Kayla.’

The girl, who had ginger hair and eyes that held an air of familiarity, curtseyed gracefully before them. Nico noticed Hades subtly but firmly indicating for Nico to approach her and introduce himself, but he pretended not to notice. He’d already spent the morning dealing with Lady Bea (second in line for the Olive throne, after Crown Prince Malcolm), and now between her and Princess Kayla, it seemed like this was going to be a very long few weeks. Maybe even months, if Hades decided to extend their stay like he did with Aphrodite's court. He had to force himself not to visibly shudder at the thought.

* * *

The welcoming ball that night was, so far, not as bad as it could've been. It seemed that every time a member of one of the visiting courts was about to approach him for small talk – or worse, dancing – Hazel would appear out of nowhere and quickly drag him away. She would act as though she was incredibly excited to show him something or had something terribly important she needed to tell him right away. Even now, the two were standing by the food table, picking at grapes and pretending to be deep in conversation.

His little sister was an _angel_ , he decided, and he would have to do something huge to repay her one day, though he had no idea what. It seemed she already had everything. She was free to partake in her favourite activities – horse riding and drawing – almost whenever she wanted, she always seemed happy, and she was friends with plenty of the servants and members of the court. Well, to be fair, there was one thing she was burdened with.

He was jolted out of his thoughts by an unexpected tap on his shoulder and, turning, he found himself face to face with Lady Bea. He gulped. He'd been having to work extra hard to avoid this one. He barely heard whatever greeting she said to him. He was too busy trying to come up with some excuse as to why he needed to be literally anywhere else, when he accidentally made eye contact with his father from across the room and was given the deadliest glare he'd ever received. His father's threat of an arranged marriage echoing in his ears, he decided it was best to at least _pretend_ to be considering the eligible ladies of the visiting courts. It would buy him some time, at least.

Trying not to think about it too much, for the sake of his own sanity, he turned to Lady Bea and forced himself to ask her to dance. She accepted with a grin and led him out onto the dance floor, where he had to suppress a groan of regret at his own decision. He made himself bow as she curtseyed, then tried not to let his deep reluctance and discomfort show as he took her hand in one of his and placed his other hand on her waist, leading them in a waltz.

‘You know, Prince Nico, I've heard rumours that you're planning on choosing a bride soon,’ she said, somehow maintaining a perfectly innocuous façade. Nico felt himself sweat a little.

‘Um...’ before he could think of some reply that would satisfy her without outright lying to her, she started talking again.

‘Because I think,’ she said, a small smile creeping onto her face as she noticed, and probably misinterpreted, the embarrassed blush starting to spread across his cheeks, ‘that a union between the Underworld and Olive Kingdoms would be very wise... don't you?’

This time, he didn't even try to answer. He wasn't used to noblewomen being so forward – especially not towards _him_ , and he had no idea what to do. Then suddenly her words weren't the problem anymore.

With the exception of people who he cared about, like Hazel, he'd always hated physical contact, and he had to suppress the urge to recoil as her hand steadily made its way up his shoulder, until it was almost tangled in the hair at the base of his neck.

He must have been doing a good job at hiding how uncomfortable he was, because her playful smile only grew. It was then that he panicked a little, because he didn't want to go through the awkwardness and embarrassment of moving her hand back, but he also didn't want to leave it there and send her the wrong message. He looked away, eyes scanning the room for... well, anything. Maybe, for once, it was a good thing that he was being so weird; maybe he would just naturally drive her away, like everybody else.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when, for the second time that day, a flash of sunshine yellow caught him off guard. His heart rate sped up as he stared at a servant on the opposite side of the room, who if he didn't know any better, he would say was... No. It couldn't be him. Could it? He was too far away to tell, and it didn't help that the servant was facing away from him. He silently prayed that the man would just _turn around_ so that he could put his mind at ease, knowing that he was just imagining things.

Unfortunately, the servant disappeared through a side door before Nico could get a good look at him. He frowned, heart still beating faster than it should've been. He knew there was no way that it could be him, and yet... Well, he had to be sure. He needed to know, or else it would haunt him for the entire duration of the Solar and Olive Kingdoms' visits.

‘I'm so sorry,’ Nico said, pulling away from Lady Bea, who turned startled eyes up at him, ‘but I've just remembered an urgent matter of state that I must attend to immediately. I'll return as soon as it's taken care of.’ With a hasty bow, Nico walked to the doorway the servant had disappeared through, going as fast as he could without making it obvious that he was hurrying.

Arriving at the door, he turned to a guard stationed nearby and asked, ‘Do you know where the servant who just passed through here was going?’ If the guard was surprised at such a question, he did an excellent job of hiding it.

‘To the stables, sire,’ he said, staring into the distance, as guards do, ‘he has been tasked with feeding the horses and settling them in for the night.’

‘Thank you.’ He pulled open the door and, as soon as it was shut behind him, bolted for the stables. He charged across the castle grounds but paused when he got there, leaning a hand against the wooden exterior as he caught his breath. When he'd regained his composure, he walked around to the open doorway, hands shaking. Fully prepared for disappointment – _hoping_ for it, even - he peered around the doorway.

The servant was in there, facing away from him as he brushed one of the horses, his golden hair gleaming the exact shade of sunshine yellow that Nico remembered. Stepping into the room, still peering closely at the servant, he hesitantly opened his mouth.

‘Will?’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that Kayla's mortal parent is actually a man named Darren, not a woman named Dara, and I hate to change his and Apollo's relationship to a straight one, but for them having a biological child to make sense in this universe it had to be done.  
> Also, I have no idea who Bea is or what gender he/she/they is/are (nothing but their name was on the wiki list of children of Athena), but for this story they’re a girl.


	3. Chapter 3

‘Will?’

The boy stilled, then turned around slowly.

‘Nico,’ he breathed, staring at him with those bright blue eyes Nico remembered so well. His features had matured since when they were younger – he'd gotten taller too – and gods he was handsome. Nico shoved the thought aside, annoyed with himself.

For his part, Will's face stretched into a wide grin, seeming genuinely happy to see him as he stepped closer, arms open for a hug. Trying to avoid his gaze, Nico stepped back, ignoring the flash of hurt that flickered over his face.

‘What are you doing here?’ he asked, refusing to acknowledge the coil of guilt he felt as Will's arms dropped to his sides.

‘I work for the Solar Court now,’ he said, ‘I volunteered to come on this trip with the nobles. I... had hoped to see you again. After what happened back when I worked here...’ Nico flinched as the memory fought to flash through his mind, but he refused to let it.

There were so many things that he wanted to say to this boy, but like the coward that he was, he simply hissed, ‘You can't be here. Are you crazy? If someone recognises you, you could get into serious trouble. You were banished!’

Will ran a nervous hand through his hair, and Nico followed the motion with his eyes, briefly wondering what running a hand through Will's hair must feel like. Realising what he'd just pictured, he mentally slapped himself.

‘Actually, _technically_ I was never _officially_ exiled,’ he said, ‘that would've required a public trial, and we both know Dowager Queen Demeter cares more about public perception than anything else.’ Nico stiffened at the mention of Demeter's name. He'd always felt a particular distaste for the woman, who'd married into royalty in a nearby kingdom. After her husband died, she'd been livid when she discovered that both she and her daughter Persephone held no claim to the throne. The now-queen Miranda had ascended, while Demeter had searched tirelessly for another way to award her daughter the title of queen, finally finding it in Hades.

Nico had never gotten along with Demeter, and his dislike had only grown into hatred when she'd banished his only friend – not counting Hazel, of course – from the kingdom.

‘Whether you were _officially_ exiled or not – you don't think Demeter will keep to the threats she made?’ Nico asked darkly. ‘If she catches you here...’

‘Relax,’ Will waved a hand dismissively, ‘you and I both know she’s visiting her home kingdom for the next month, at least.’ Nico shifted on his feet, glancing around uncomfortably. He didn't like the risk Will was taking.

‘I...’ Will continued, ‘I thought you'd be happy to see me?’

Nico looked up sharply, meeting his gaze. Unlike before, when he'd seemed like his usual carefree self, now his face was clouded by doubt and a vulnerability that made Nico's heart clench. His arms ached to reach out to him, to pull him into a hug and assure him that _of course_ he was happy to see him. He'd missed him so much.

‘You shouldn't be here,’ he finally said instead, turning to leave the stables, hating himself for the pain that entered Will's eyes. He made it to the doorway and paused. As much as he knew he should keep his distance from him, he couldn't bear to leave things like that. This could be the last time they ever spoke, though the thought pained him more than he cared to admit.

Still facing away from the servant, he turned his head back and quietly added, ‘I don't want you to get hurt.’

Before Will could respond, Nico slipped through the doorway and into the night.


	4. Chapter 4

‘Where did you disappear to during the ball last night?’

Nico, who'd been staring into space for most of breakfast, turned at the sound of his sister's whisper. He hesitated.

‘I just wanted to get away from Lady Bea, I guess,’ he murmured back. Hazel glanced warily down the table.

‘You probably shouldn't say that while she's sitting so close,’ she muttered, to which Nico only shrugged. He had bigger problems on his mind. Ever since he'd seen Will the previous night, it had been all he could think about. He knew that staying away from him was for the best, but he also had no idea how he was supposed to achieve that when Will was going to be right there, _in the palace_ , for such a long period of time. It had barely been a day and he was already fighting the urge to go looking for his old friend. Again, that day when he was fourteen fought to replay in his mind, but he pushed the memory back. It was too painful.

‘I noticed you dancing with Lady Bea last night,’ Nico jolted at his father's voice. Seated at the head of the table, King Hades leaned close to his son, speaking in a hushed tone. ‘I'm glad to see you’re finally acknowledging your duties.’

Nico pressed his lips, unsure how to respond. If he hadn’t known any better, he might've thought his father was praising him; but Hades’ tone suggested it was more of a warning.

‘Today you are to meet with Princess Kayla,’ Hades continued, ‘the two of you will be spending the morning horse-riding across the grounds.’ Nico's heart kicked; though unfortunately not for the promise of having some alone time with a princess, but for the potential of seeing a certain boy. What was wrong with him?

Knowing there was no use in arguing, he simply nodded.

* * *

‘Lost something, Your Highness?’

Nico, who had been peering around the stables, straightened and faced Princess Kayla, who had appeared in the doorway.

‘No, I was just...’ he trailed off as a servant rounded the doorway behind her. Will. Nico’s breath caught in his throat.

Following his gaze, Princess Kayla said, ‘Oh, Prince Nico, this is Will Solace, one of our servants. He's just here to prepare the horses.’ She gestured vaguely in Will's direction. Nico nodded in greeting but wouldn't make eye contact.

The entire time the horses were being saddled up Nico had to fight the urge to stare. It had been a long time, and Will's form had changed. It wasn't just that he was taller – he'd grown into his frame too, no longer bearing any of the lankiness from childhood. He was still relatively slight in build, but there were muscles there that hadn't been before. His back was broader, his arms more defined, and he could see the muscles in them working as he tightened the saddles. He felt a twinge of annoyance. Did Will _have_ to be _so_ sexy?

When the horses were finally prepared, Kayla and Nico set off at a slow pace, exploring the grounds side by side.

They rode in silence for a while, until she said, ‘Your father's inviting other courts here to pressure you into marrying someone, isn't he?’ He looked up so fast his neck cracked, and he gaped at her. He was certain plenty of people had figured out what his father was up to, but not even Lady Bea had acknowledged it so bluntly.

She smiled slightly. ‘I just wanted you to know that I can tell you don’t want any part in this, mostly because I don't either.’

‘You don't want to get married?’ Another, somewhat darker thought occurred to him, ‘or... you don't want to get married to _me_?’

‘It's not you, specifically,’ she laughed, ‘I don't want to get married at all. It was bad enough being the heiress apparent and now they want to tie me down with marriage too.’ She huffed in indignation, but there was a sadness there too. Nico knew enough about misery to see it.

‘...What do you want to be doing instead?’ he asked. She looked up at him, her blue eyes pained.

‘I want to be a competitive archer,’ she said. ‘Just a stupid, impossible dream, I know.’ Nico couldn't help but feel sorry for her. In their society, it was hard enough for any woman to be taken seriously with a weapon, let alone a princess. Noblewomen were supposed to partake in _ladylike_ hobbies, like embroidery or piano playing.

‘What about you?’ She asked. There was something earnest in her expression that made him want to trust her with his secret, but he knew he couldn't.

‘Just prefer being alone, I guess,’ he muttered. She raised an eyebrow at him.

‘Well, I suppose we only just met,’ she said, looking away, ‘I won't push it.’

‘Thank you.’

‘I have to ask, though, why you?’

He looked up at her again. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Kings normally focus on selling their _female_ children,’ she said, ‘so why is he so intent on forcing you to marry, instead of Princess Hazel?’

‘My sister’s been betrothed since she was three months old.’

‘That's terrible,’ Princess Kayla gasped.

Nico nodded. ‘A neighbouring kingdom was threatening war, so my father organised a union between her and their infant son. We've still never actually met him.’

Kayla's eyes filled with sadness, and he tried not to show it, but he echoed the feeling. Hazel deserved better.

‘To be honest, I know it's selfish but I'm glad they're taking their time with the betrothal,’ he said, and when she cocked her head at him, he continued, ‘because she's a woman, and second in line, once they marry she'll have to leave for his kingdom.’

‘I understand. You don't want to lose her.’

He nodded. He'd already lost one sister; he didn’t know if he could bear to lose Hazel too.

* * *

The next two days passed in blur of avoiding Hades, Will, and Lady Bea as much as possible – which wasn't easy, to say the least. Nico had spent most of his time hiding with Hazel or meeting with Princess Kayla, and even though he was primarily doing so to keep his father off his back, he found that he actually enjoyed her company. It was refreshing to talk to a lady who neither thought she was better than him, nor wanted to marry him, and he had come to think of her as an unlikely friend.

Unfortunately, it hadn't escaped King Hades' notice that Lady Bea was very intent on Nico's hand, hence why he had arranged for Nico and himself to dine with Lady Bea and Queen Athena that night.

Nico stirred his soup, avoiding eye contact with Lady Bea, who was sitting across from him, and who had spent the whole meal so far trying to chat him up.

‘So, Prince Nico,’ she said, waiting until he looked up before putting her spoon in her mouth, sucking it, and then withdrawing it slowly, ‘I just _love_ painting, and I hear that you like to paint too?’ He tried not to shy away from her intense stare and wished she would stop coming on so strong. It wasn't that he minded her bold personality, it was just that she seemed completely unaware of the fact that her affections were unwanted.

‘Uh, not really,’ he said, ‘Princess Hazel likes to paint, I mostly just mix paints and wash brushes for her.’ There were servants for that, of course, but he liked spending time with her.

‘Oh, well, I'm not that big on painting either,’ she smiled, waving a dismissive hand through the air. Nico's right eye twitched.

‘Although,’ she continued brightly, ‘I do think it's _so_ sweet that you help your little sister with her art. I've also heard that you're a very talented equestrian which is, of course, very impressive.’ Lady Bea continued to ramble, but Nico was no longer listening. His gaze had locked onto a servant who'd appeared in the dining hall, carrying a pitcher of wine. Will slowly made his way around the table, refilling everyone's goblets, his blond hair seeming to glow even in the dim, candlelit room. What was Will doing waiting on them? He was here with the Solar kingdom's aristocracy – none of whom were currently present! Nico held back a sigh. The kitchen staff probably didn't care which kingdom you hailed from, so long as you did your job properly.

Will walked around Nico’s chair and, as he filled his goblet, he gently placed his hand on Nico's back. Nico stiffened a little, glancing around the table worriedly – but no one was looking. Lady Bea was too caught up in her own babbling and Hades was too busy smiling at Queen Athena like ‘ _Aren't these two a great pair?’_ , while Queen Athena was staring Hades down, like Nico had yet to prove himself worthy of Bea. If they only knew how fast Nico's heart was beating from one bit of contact with the man pouring their wine.

Nico watched as Will walked away, disappearing through the side door, and it took him a moment to realise that Lady Bea had stopped talking. He snapped back to attention, facing the lady, who was staring at him expectantly.

‘Pardon?’

Hades, having noticed the situation, glared disapprovingly at his son, but Lady Bea seemed undeterred. ‘I said,’ she smiled brightly, ‘that I think it would be a wonderful idea if you were to introduce me to your sister! Perhaps tomorrow, at four?’ He stared at her blankly. Was she... inviting herself on a date with him? With his sister there, too? He would never understand some women.

‘Uh, sure,’ he said. Apparently not sensing his bafflement, she grinned, clapping her hands together.

‘Wonderful!’

* * *

At around one in the morning, he was still wide awake, reeling from the events of the day. Sighing, he decided to take a break from trying to sleep, and he slipped out of bed and down to the abandoned kitchen. Poking around the benches for a late-night snack turned up nothing of interest, so he turned to the walk-in pantry, wondering if those baskets of pears were still in there. He pulled the door open and jumped back with a yelp, a mysterious figure looming in the shadows. The door slammed shut between them, but not before Nico caught a flash of blue eyes.

‘Surely not...’ he murmured to himself. Curiosity getting the better of him, he pulled the door back open, and found himself face-to-face with Will Gods-Damn Solace. Entering the pantry, he let the door close behind him and placed the candle he'd brought with him on one of the shelves.

‘How is it that you're everywhere I go?’ he asked, scowling and suddenly all too aware of the fact that they were standing not two feet apart, alone in a secluded room in the middle of the night. If Will were a girl and Nico got caught, he’d be branded a scoundrel for sure – even though they weren't technically doing anything.

Will shrugged sheepishly and held up a pear with a few bites taken out of it. ‘I'm guessing we had the same idea?’

Nico raised an eyebrow. ‘As a servant, and a guest one at that, technically you shouldn't be helping yourself to the pantry.’ Will shrugged again, plucking another pear out of a crate and tossing it to Nico, who caught it at the last second.

‘Well, hopefully I won’t get caught by anyone important,’ Will smirked.

‘Ah, and here I was thinking that 'crown prince' was a title that meant something,’ Nico said. Will took another bite of his pear, casually leaning against a nearby shelf, seeming totally at ease. Nico could never understand how he always seemed so calm. His very presence was relaxing – had been ever since they were kids. Unbidden, the memory of the day Will was banished resurfaced, and, unprepared for it this time, Nico couldn't stop himself from replaying it in his mind...


	5. Chapter 5

Fourteen years old, Nico was making his way to the greenhouse to meet Will – his best friend since as long as either of them could remember, and also the most gorgeous human being on the planet. Nico usually tried not to think too much about why he found Will so... well, attractive, but deep down in his heart, he suspected he knew _exactly_ why he always blushed in his friend's presence.

Pushing through the doorway, he wandered around, passing countless thriving plants, before he spotted Will sliding a pot of slightly wilted flowers out of direct sunlight. Hearing him approach, Will looked up and met Nico’s gaze. Nico stared at those eyes – the most beautiful colour he’d ever seen. He'd change the whole sky to that shade of blue if he could.

Grinning, Will walked over to Nico and grabbed his wrist, leading him through the greenhouse as he said, ‘Took you long enough. C'mon, I want to show you something.’ They walked along the aisles, passing pots overflowing with all manner of plants, and Will's hand slowly slipped into Nico's. Not wanting to make a big deal out of it, Nico closed his hand around Will's, blushing even though he knew the gesture was platonic. What would his friend think if he knew how hard Nico's heart was beating? He'd probably be horrified.

Pulling him around a corner, Will stopped and smiled, making a ' _ta-dah_ ' gesture at their destination – a huge tree that Nico had seen countless times before, only today it was in full bloom, covered in thousands of tiny flowers. Nico must have been gaping like an idiot, because Will laughed, moving them closer.

‘Amazing, right? It only blooms once a year, just for a day,’ he plucked a flower from one of the branches with his free hand. A mischievous grin crossed his face, and he lunged, aiming to tuck the flower into Nico's hair. Nico cried out indignantly and dodged, attempting to bat Will's arm away. Will just laughed, pulling him closer and trying to force his arm down. Nico couldn't help but laugh too, even as he pushed against him, angling his head away from the flower as Will pulled him closer.

It was then that he noticed that his face was barely an inch away from Will's. They both froze. The air between them hung with tension, a blush rising on Nico's cheeks. Flustered, he made to back away, but Will surprised him, leaning in and gently pressing his lips against Nico's. Nico's eyes widened, hardly able to believe what was happening, even as his heart began to beat harder than was surely healthy.

It felt... amazing. Like his whole body was tingling. Closing his eyes, he hesitantly leaned into Will, just a bit.

A loud clang made them both jump and swivel their heads to the side. Standing where they'd just come from, a watering can at her feet and a half-stunned, half-horrified look on her face, was Dowager Queen Demeter. Nico wanted to slap himself for being such an _idiot_. Demeter adored this greenhouse, of _course_ she'd be here to admire the tree in bloom!

‘D-Demeter!’ Nico yelped, pushing away from Will and holding an arm out toward her, ‘It's not what it looks like.’ Shaking her head, the Queen turned and ran from the room. Nico and Will glanced at each other, then bolted after her, calling for her to wait.

That night, Nico had been confined to his room. He'd begged Demeter to let him out, to let him explain – or at least to punish him instead of Will. She'd refused to listen.

The next day, Will was gone. It was all kept under wraps, but Nico knew he’d been cast out because of _him_. He also knew he had nowhere else to go. Will was a servant; he had no money, no family – his entire life was in the kingdom. Nico had hidden away in his room, not knowing what to do.

Someone knocked at his door and he reluctantly untangled himself from his bedsheets. How could he have ruined this? Will was his _best friend_. What would he do without him? The knock sounded again, and he huffed, pulling on a black dressing gown as he walked to the door. Pulling it open, he found Demeter waiting on the other side. He glared, tempted to slam the door right in her stupid face.

‘May I come in?’ she smiled, a fake look, and stepped around him without waiting for an answer. Raising his arms in exasperation, he huffed and closed the door behind her. There was a long moment of silence as she wandered around the room, oblivious to Nico glaring at her back.

‘How could you exile him?’ he finally demanded, annoyed with himself when his voice warbled.

She slowly turned. ‘Dearest Nico,’ her voice dripped with false sympathy, ‘one day you'll see that I did this for your own good. That boy was leading you down a dark path.’

‘Please,’ he forced himself to swallow his pride, "he has nowhere else to go."

She humphed, ‘Well, he should've thought of that before attempting to dishonour the crown prince. Honestly, I came here expecting gratitude.’ She turned her nose up and stalked to the door, yanking it open. She paused and looked back at him, adding, "I trust you won't allow yourself to become... _like him_." Nico flinched as she left, allowing the door to slam behind her.

He collapsed back onto his bed, barely able to process the idea of never seeing Will again. Never seeing that sunshine-yellow hair, or those gorgeous blue eyes. Never listening to him ramble about his dream of becoming a court physician, completely undeterred by how impossible that would be for a mere serving boy.

Will was gone, and it was all his fault.

He curled into a ball and let the tears fall.

* * *

‘Are you all right?’

Nico jumped, finding himself in a pantry, Will Solace standing not five inches away from him. Eyes widening, he stepped back so fast he stumbled on a crate, but managed to regain his balance. Will – the stupid, sexy bastard – smirked, his intense gaze fixed on Nico's. His heart fluttered, and he tried to look away but couldn't.

Dropping his pear, Will stepped forward and gently cupped Nico's cheek with his hand, moving so close Nico could feel his breath. He blushed, breathing heavier than before. Will moved a step closer and Nico panicked.

‘Um, you know what,’ he breathed, trapped in Will's eyes, ‘I'm not that hungry anyway.’ His hand landed on the door handle behind him and he pushed, dashing from the pantry, through the kitchen, and back to his room. Slamming the door shut behind him, he leaned against it, slowly letting his breathing and heart rate calm down as he slid towards the floor.


	6. Chapter 6

The sort-of date with Lady Bea, in which she had invited herself to meet his sister, was somehow even more uncomfortable than he'd thought it would be. The three of them were seated around a small table for tea, and no one had spoken in several minutes.

Hazel, who seemed about as keen on Bea as Nico, was politely sipping her tea. Lady Bea was grinning at Nico, occasionally flicking her hair or otherwise trying to catch his attention. Nico was doing his best to avoid eye contact with anyone. He couldn't understand what Lady Bea seemed to find so appealing about _him_ anyway. Maybe she was just after his title. At least Princess Kayla was honest, but he still couldn't see a future with either of them. Even though it seemed apparent that his father wasn't going to let either of them leave unless the other had a ring on her finger.

He suppressed a sigh and sipped his tea. They were in the conservatory, surrounded by little tables and potted plants, with sunlight streaming through the glass walls. A flicker of movement outside caught his eye. Princess Kayla was walking by but paused when she and Nico made eye contact. She glanced between him and Lady Bea and offered an awkward wave.

Glancing to his side to make sure neither of the women he was seated with were paying attention, he turned to Princess Kayla and mouthed _Help_. She disappeared around the corner, and he hoped that the desperate look in his eyes had conveyed the message, whether she’d understood what he was mouthing or not.

A moment later there was a polite knock on the door and Princess Kayla poked her head in.

‘Prince Nico, your father needs you in his study right away.’

Hazel frowned, probably wondering why a visiting princess was being treated like a messenger, while Nico rose from his seat.

‘Wait!’ Lady Bea grabbed his wrist, tugging on his arm in an attempt to get him to sit back down. ‘Surely it can wait, I mean, we were kind of _in the middle of something_.’ She glared at Princess Kayla.

‘My apologies, Lady Bea, but if the king needs me then I have to go,’ he pulled his arm free, possibly with a little more force than was necessary, and cast his sister what he hoped was a subtle apologetic look. He left with Princess Kayla and the two wandered the halls, not heading anywhere in particular.

‘So, what was that all about?’ she finally asked.

He ran a hand through his hair, ‘Uh... Lady Bea is just... very keen on the whole marriage thing.’

‘Ah,’ she nodded. They walked quietly for some time, before she spoke up again, ‘Prince Nico, I told you that I don't want to get married because I’d rather be a competitive archer, but what's keeping you from it?’

A flash of yellow hair shone through his thoughts, and he scowled at nothing in particular.

‘Just not really the romantic type, I guess.’

She stared at him for a long while. He shifted uncomfortably beneath her gaze, calling up a mask, doing everything he could to make himself unreadable. She finally looked away.

‘Well,’ she said, ‘so long as you're hiding from Lady Bea, you might as well show me what kind of archery facilities you've got around here.’ She grinned wickedly, and he couldn't help but smile back.

‘Alright, but you can't make fun of me when I miss every target by ten metres.’

She snickered, ‘Wouldn't dream of it.’

* * *

Despite her promise, Princess Kayla had mocked Nico mercilessly, and so now he sat at the dinner table with his family – and no one else, thankfully – nursing his newly acquired burns.

‘Lady Bea seems rather fond of you, Nico.’ King Hades said, peering at Nico over his wine glass.

Nico swallowed, avoiding eye contact, ‘She's... certainly good at being difficult to shake.’ Hazel attempted to hide a giggle behind her hand. Hades stared at Nico.

‘It is fortunate for you, then, that I have organised for Queen Athena's court to leave us, to be replaced within a day by another court.’

Nico stilled, ‘And what of King Apollo's court?’ He dared to meet his father's eyes and found him smirking; though there was no amusement behind it. Rather, he seemed smug... almost predatory.

‘Someone you don't want to leave, is there?’

‘No.’

_Yes, but not who you think._

Nico pinned his gaze to the dark tablecloth. He felt another pair of eyes on him, and glanced up to find Hazel staring at him with a strange look on her face. He flinched internally. Not her, too. He cursed himself; he should've known how spending so much time with one lady would look.

‘King Apollo and his court will be staying with us... indefinitely.’ Hades' eyes were piercing. ‘It seems you have more time to get to know Princess Kayla.’

Nico clenched his jaw.

* * *

The upside of the following day was that Lady Bea was no longer around to torture him. Unfortunately, his father seemed to think he fancied Princess Kayla, which was a much bigger problem.

...Or, was it? He liked Kayla. Would almost call her a friend. He knew that he was on borrowed time – that he would have to marry someone, and soon. Princess Kayla was probably his best chance at any semblance of happiness. She was nice to him. She was cool. And most importantly, she didn’t want to get married either, so at least they understood each other.

Whether he liked it or not, it seemed that he was going to find himself engaged to her soon anyway and, surprisingly, maybe he could be okay with that.

Whatever happened, at least he didn’t have to deal with Lady Bea anymore. As he walked down a palace corridor, he was so busy revelling in her departure that he almost didn’t notice her coming towards him before it was too late to hide. Luckily, he spotted her and, heart lurching, managed to dart into an empty room before she saw him.

He pressed his ear against the door until her footsteps passed, then let out a breath. His relief was short-lived, however.

_What the hell was she doing here?_

He darted from the room and ran to his father’s study; princely decorum be damned.

‘Father!’ he yelled the moment he burst through the doors, earning a foul look from King Hades, who had been signing what appeared to be a lengthy legal document, sitting atop a stack of others.

‘This had better be important, Nico.’

‘Why is Lady Bea still here?’

His father pressed his lips, and for a moment Nico thought he was going to ignore the question entirely, but then he stood and approached him with a stern look on his face.

‘The situation has changed,’ King Hades said carefully, ‘having the nobles of Athena’s kingdom leave us so suddenly may no longer be prudent.’ Hades turned and began pacing the room in a slow, calculated circle.

‘What exactly do you mean by that?’ Nico asked, eyeing his father. Hades stilled.

‘Tragedy has struck the Olive Court,’ he watched Nico out of the corner of his eye, ‘Crown Prince Malcolm has passed away in battle.’ Hades waited for a reaction, but Nico kept his expression as neutral as possible.

‘How terrible,’ he said.

Hades stared him down for a long moment, before saying, ‘We must be sensitive during the Olive Court’s period of grief.’ Hades was quiet again, but it was clear that he was building up to something. Something Nico wasn’t going to like. He swallowed thickly.

‘Why are you telling me this, Father?’ Hades’ expression darkened and Nico felt a chill run down his back.

‘With the late Prince Malcolm gone, and with Lady Annabeth now a member of the Sea court, Lady Bea has become first in line for the Olive throne.’

Nico felt as though all the blood was draining from his body. ‘What are you saying, Father?’

‘...Just that there’s no sense in ending Lady Bea’s stay here. Not yet, at least.’ His father’s tone was raising the hairs on the back of his neck. ‘After all, it is the mark of a rude host to not accommodate the mourning, is it not?’ Hades eyed him for a long time, but Nico had lost the ability to speak. After a moment, Hades simply made a disapproving hum, and turned back to his desk.

‘Never interrupt me in my study again,’ he said. Unable to form a response, Nico walked stiffly from the room.


	7. Chapter 7

**(Will)**

_What am I doing?_

This had been the thought playing on repeat through Will's head ever since he'd returned to Hades' kingdom. He was vaguely aware that he'd been sweeping the same empty room repeatedly for over an hour, but he was too lost in thought to care. Too busy thinking about Nico and his dark eyes and how adorable he was when he got all flustered and started blushing. Too busy thinking about King Hades and his complete lack of subtlety.

No official statement had been released, but it was obvious that the king was parading a string of women under Nico's nose in an attempt to get him to marry one of them. Will had been a servant long enough to know how noble families worked. Nico would be engaged in a matter of months, at the very most. He paused his sweeping, clutching the broom hard enough to turn his knuckles white. Trying to swallow the lump in his throat, he forced thoughts of Nico's impending engagement from his mind. It was too painful.

He moved to the back of the room and began going over the floors again. Lately, he’d been trying his best not to think about Nico, but it was impossible. When he'd come to Hades' kingdom, he'd been so excited to see him again, and he'd known that he still had some unresolved feelings for him, but he hadn't expected those feelings to come back so strongly. He knew he had it bad, and no matter how many times he told himself to stay away from the prince, every time he was in his presence he couldn't resist the pull of him.

He remembered when he and Nico had been in that pantry together. How he'd told himself to keep his distance, before they both got hurt again. How he'd known that making a move on him could never end well. How he'd been just about to kiss him, despite all that. But just as he was about to lean in, Nico had bolted from the room.

Even as the painful lump in his throat returned, he reminded himself that it was a good thing he’d left. If they'd kissed and been caught, Will could've been killed, and Nico could've lost his title and been exiled, separating him from his sister. Trying to kiss him had been a terrible, terrible idea. ...And yet, all he could think about was trying it again.

Giving up on cleaning, Will dropped the broom and sat in the corner of the room, hands in his hair. This had to stop. It had to.

_What am I doing?_

* * *

**(Nico)**

Nico was walking to his bedroom when he heard a loud clatter from a room that should've been empty at this time of day.

Curious, he opened the door and saw Will Solace sitting in a corner, staring right back at him. Of course it was him. Nico had taken a different route through the palace than usual in an attempt to avoid Solace, who – according to the timetable he’d swiped from the servants’ quarters – was supposed to be three corridors over by now; but _of course_ he was here instead.

He'd been about to apologise and run away, when he noticed the abandoned broom in the centre of the room, and the way Will was curled up.

Against his better judgement, Nico entered the room, the door swinging shut behind him, and he sat beside Will. He was careful to leave a distinct gap between them, and yet, he knew he was still sitting closer than he really should've been.

‘Are you okay?’ he asked. Will looked at him and, for just a moment, Nico saw a lifetime of pain in his eyes, but then it was covered by his usual sunshine smile.

‘Yeah, I'm fine,’ he said, but his demeanour said otherwise. Nico shifted in place, knowing the conversation was heading into dangerous territory; but something was wrong and he couldn’t ignore that.

‘Seriously, what's going on?’ he watched as Will stared into space for a long moment, mulling over his next words.

‘I don't know. I guess I just missed you all these years and I... Did you miss me?’

Nico made the mistake of making eye contact, and a part of him melted. He couldn't look into his bright blue eyes and lie; he couldn't see all that pain and worry and not reassure him.

‘Of course I did,’ he swallowed, and unwittingly glanced at Will's lips, before returning his gaze to his eyes, ‘you... you were everything to me.’ Will's gaze softened, and Nico became all too aware of how close they'd moved to each other, his eyes seeming to draw him in. Nico could feel his warmth, and when Will licked his lips, he couldn't help but glance down at them again. When he looked back up, a blush had spread across Will's cheeks, and he forgot how to breathe.

Will slid one hand around the back of Nico's neck and pulled him closer. He closed his eyes and felt Will's lips against his. As their lips moved against each other's he felt a warmth spread through his body. He mimicked Will, placing a hand against the nape of his neck and pulling him closer, his fingers toying with the ends of his golden hair. It felt so... right.

They pulled away and smiled at each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun with this, but this is probably the only time I'll tell part of the story from Will's perspective. I was originally planning on telling the entire story from Nico's point of view, but a comment left by BubbleSpAce (on the site where I originally posted this) asking whether Will knew that Nico was going to be forced into marriage made me realise that Will’s motives and grasp on Nico's situation weren't clear enough to the reader, so here we are ^_^


End file.
